When even the crusty Little Englander Peter Bone suggests that the government ought to be taking parliament a little more seriously, you might have thought ministers would care to pay some attention. But Andrea Leadsom, the barely competent leader of the house, was having nothing of it. As far as she was concerned the government was already taking parliament much too seriously as it was.

Theresa May will face multiple rebellions over her EU withdrawal bill next month, as Conservative MPs table amendments aimed at softening the government’s Brexit plan. Tory MPs will challenge the use of Henry VIII powers, call for a vote on the final terms of Brexit and demand the retention of the charter of fundamental rights.